title: Epilepsy surgery in children: evaluation of seizure outcome and predictive elements.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the clinical outcome of epilepsy surgery in children, and to identify the factors related with a favorable seizure control among several presurgical, surgical and postsurgical variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  One-hundred twenty children, younger than 16 years (69 male and 51 female), operated on for medically refractory focal epilepsy at the "C.Munari" Epilepsy Surgery Center of the Niguarda Hospital in Milan from 1998 to 2009, were identified. Seizure outcome was assessed according to the Engel's classification. Statistical analysis was performed to identify predictive elements of seizure outcome among several presurgical, surgical, and postsurgical variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 84 (70%) seizure-free patients (Engel's classes Ia and Ic), 93 (77.5%) in class I, 8 (6.7%) in class II, 9 in class III (7.5%), and 10 (8.3%) in class IV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirms that epilepsy surgery is an established and effective treatment for partial epilepsy in children and suggest criteria to help identify early potential surgical candidates.
authors.affiliation: Child and Adolescence Neuropsychiatry Unit, "G.Salvini," Hospital, Rho, Italy; Child and Adolescence Neuropsychiatry Unit, Neurological Institute, "C. Mondino,", Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teutonico
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Pierangelo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veggiotti
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Francione
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tassi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Borrelli
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Balottin
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: LoRusso
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000639:trends; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Children; Epilepsy surgery; Outcome; Presurgical evaluation